Everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s talking about the problems
with renting. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re solving them.

be:here Barking coming in 2018

be:here is a new approach to
the private rented sector.
• We create vibrant new communities
and then ensure they act as catalysts
for local regeneration
• Our homes are designed specifically
for rent. For example our 2 beds have
two equal sized bedrooms that both
enjoy en-suite bathrooms
• We have an on-site management team
who resolve any issues as soon as they
arise and look after the buildings
• We provide a range of additional facilities
and services that makes people’s lives
easier such as superfast broadband,
extra storage and dry cleaning
• All of our charges are fair and transparent
• In short we’ve looked at every aspect
of the rental experience and created a
complete package that offers renters a
distinctly better deal.

be:here schemes also available
in East India (letting now), Hayes
(Reserving now) and Kew (2018).

www.be-here.co.uk
Part of the Willmott Dixon Group

Apprenticeships, Traineeships, Higher & Degree Apprenticeships

“BDC are an excellent training provider
they listen and more
importantly they act!”
Denize Halton
Pre-Construction Manager

Whether you are a sole trader or a multi-national, well trained employees will
keep your business healthy. To develop the skills of your workforce eﬀectively,
you need �exible training options that are designed around your business.
That's where Barking & Dagenham College Business Engagement Team can
help.
Supporting you with bespoke training through to Apprenticeship at all levels
Sup
all are fantastic opportunities for you to equip your business with the most
up-to-date skills around to give yourselves an edge against competitors.
Talk to the Employer Services Team at Barking & Dagenham College today.
020 3667 0333
employer.services@bdc.ac.uk

“The London Borough of Redbridge needs skilled people to
operate in themodern economy and BDC provide us
with those skills, from entry to higher level, in a
superior quality learning environment with a
professional service”
Ann Butler
Workforce Development Manager

The six-year project for
people working, living and
socialising in the borough
has spurred Barking and
Dagenham’s creativity.

The summer festival
programme in 2015 to
mark the borough’s 50th
anniversary has created
successful yearly events.

18 MAP

32 MARKETS

Mapping out the borough’s
creative quarter and other
significant cultural sites.

Facts and figures
summarising the latest
achievements of this
east London borough.

Barking and Dagenham’s
film office has attracted
big-budget production
companies to shoot
films, TV shows and
commercials at sites
throughout the area.

35 THEATRE

44 ICEHOUSE COURT

26

An immersive outdoor
performance of The
Merchant of Venice was
just one of this year’s
cultural highlights.

35

40 FILM

The Ice House Quarter on
the River Roding is evolving
fast and new studio space
means artists aspire to
work here.

5

NEWS
New masterplan for Barking Riverside approved
A new masterplan to build 10,800 homes
at London’s largest regeneration site has
been approved with a new target also set for
affordable homes.
The London mayor, Sadiq Khan, has given the
go-ahead for the new masterplan, which brings
the affordable housing allocation up from 28%
to a minimum of 35%, with provision to raise it
to 50% over time. This will be looked at through
additional investment and viability reviews.
Khan said the site had “enormous potential to
deliver thousands of the homes Londoners so
urgently need”.
“I’ve made it clear that tackling London’s
housing crisis is my number one priority,” he
added. “Fixing this problem will be a marathon,
not a sprint, but developments like this one
will play a huge part in our efforts to provide
genuinely affordable homes to buy and rent.”
A joint venture between the Greater London
Authority and L&Q, Barking Riverside is being
developed on a 180-ha brownfield site on the
northern banks of the River Thames, which was
home to three power stations and a landfill site
until the 1990s.
Khan has also announced he is considering

the case for an extension of the Overground
from Barking Riverside across the Thames
towards south-east London.
Setting out a package of new river crossings
to be built in the next five to 10 years in
east London, Khan said he would carry out
assessment work for connecting the future
station at the site with Abbey Wood.
The proposed Barking Riverside station will
be subject to a public inquiry.
If the scheme is approved, construction
should begin in 2017, with train services to and
from the site starting in 2021.

BOLD News

The golden age
of Barking
The history of Barking will be the
subject of a lecture by an Oxford
University professor at Eastbury
Manor on 23 November.
Professor George Garnett will
hold a 45-minute session on “the
first golden age of Barking”.
It will explore the history of
Barking Abbey, founded in the
mid-seventh century, shortly after
the conversion of the English to
Christianity, by Eorcenwald, bishop
of London, for his sister Æthelburg.
Recent excavations have revealed
buildings and objects connected to
the abbey and its occupants.
A medievalist and expert in
early modern history, Garnett has
published studies and essays on
English and Norman history from
the 10th to the 14th century, on
medieval and early modern political
thought and on legal history.

Talent production
Barking and Dagenham College
has acquired status as a digital
and creative career college for the
2016-17 academic year, the first
such institution in the country.
Students will benefit from
technical training designed to equip
them with the skills to work in
television, theatre and cinema.
The aim is to prepare them
for film industry careers, as the
number of productions shot in the
borough continues to grow.
Pupils will be able to choose
from courses ranging from 3D
design to film-making, and from
performing arts to TV production.
They will be trained in an
industry-standard 1,000sq m
creative hub, or ‘#TheChannel’ – a
real-life newsroom replicating the
studios of Sky or the BBC.

MAYOR AND LEADER IN FILM STUDIO DISCUSSIONS
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and
Barking and Dagenham’s council
leader, Councillor Darren Rodwell, are
exploring the possibility of creating
what would become London’s largest
film studios in Dagenham.
Film London and the London Local
Enterprise Panel (LEP) will work
with Khan and Rodwell to carry out a
feasibility study into what would be the
first TV and film studios to be built in
the capital for 25 years.
They would be built on a five-ha site
in front of the Londoneast-uk business
and industrial park in Dagenham East.
The site is being considered
because of its large size and good
connections to central London –
accessed on the high-frequency
District line, adjacent to the site.
London’s film industry is thriving. It
is the third busiest city in the world for
production – after New York and Los
Angeles – and attracted investment
of £1 billion from international film
productions last year.
New studio space to meet a
rising demand is seen as critical to
maintaining this success and the
facility would help London’s bid for
more productions from overseas.
Permanent jobs could also be
created in Barking and Dagenham
if the studios were built, with an

increased demand for workers in
fields as diverse as carpentry and
sound technology. The council and
London LEP will invest up to £80,000
to develop a business case for the
proposal, looking at the potential
economic benefits for London.
Khan, who visited the borough on
6 October 2016 to discuss the
proposals with the council, considers
culture a top priority for London,
with the so-called creative industries
accounting for one in six jobs in the
capital and 800,000 in total.
Khan said: “London has a vibrant
production history and some of the
best studios in the world.
“To sustain and grow this success
it is critical that the capital gets
significantly more studio capacity to
maximise the opportunities for filmmaking. London is open to the best
creative and cultural minds and I am
looking forward to exploring whether
a new film studio in Dagenham could
help the capital’s film industry thrive
for years to come.”
The mayor also visited the creative
Ice House Quarter and met with
Barking and Dagenham’s cultural
connectors group. Discussions were
held about affordable studio space in
London, and Khan met artists based
at the IceHouse Court.

7

BOLD News

A tower of homes
for Barking

PLANS FOR VICARAGE FIELD LODGED
Plans for the redevelopment of the
Vicarage Field shopping centre in
Barking have been submitted to
Barking and Dagenham Council.
Developers Benson Elliot and
Londonewcastle have lodged an
application to transform the site
and provide up to 850 new homes, a
primary school, a cinema, a music
venue with a capacity of 300 people, a
150-room hotel, healthcare facilities
and flexible enterprise space for startup businesses.
The scheme, designed by architect
Studio Egret West, will also include
new restaurants and shops, as well as
a cycle hub and basement parking.
According to Benson Elliot, the
project will create 1,000 full-time jobs,

with half aimed at local people.
Located on a 2.1-ha site opposite
Barking station, the 14,490sq m
existing shopping centre was built
in 1991 on Barking Football Club’s
former ground and bought by Benson
Elliott in June 2015.
Peter Cornforth, director of retail
at Benson Elliot, said he expected
the regeneration of the site to play
a “pivotal part in shaping Barking’s
long-term future”.
More than 200 people responded
to public consultation events on the
plans in 2016, with 74% backing them.
Barking and Dagenham Council
now plans to hold its own consultation
and a decision is expected to be made
later this year.

Fundraising sought for Bobby Moore statue
Barking and Dagenham Council is
raising funds to build a statue in
honour of footballer Bobby Moore,
West Ham and England’s only World
Cup-winning captain.
On the 50th anniversary of the
1966 victory, the local authority has
launched a crowdfunding campaign,
calling on residents to pledge
donations to support the project,
which will create a tribute to Moore

8

in his home town of Barking.
The aim is to reach a £167,574
‘pledged’ fund before opening a
design competition to the public and
submitting a planning application.
The “people’s statue”, as it is
referred to, would be built at the
crossing between Station Parade and
Cambridge Road, by Barking station.
Councillor Darren Rodwell,
leader of the council, said: “We are

A 28-storey tower containing 198
build-to-rent apartments is to be
developed next to Barking station.
Patrizia UK announced on
17 June 2016 it had acquired
Trocoll House from Coplan Estates.
The developer plans to create
a 13,935sq m tower, which will
feature 92 one-bedroom and 106
two-bedroom apartments designed
for the private rental sector.
The scheme will also provide
basement car parking space, three
rooftop gardens and three retail
units across 1,170sq m.
James Muir, managing director
at Patrizia UK and Ireland, said:
“This transaction is in line with
our build-to-rent strategy of
targeting urban centres with
strong demographic fundamentals,
while adding further weight to the
company’s focus in the sector.”

extremely proud as a borough that
Bobby Moore was born and grew up
in Barking and it is important that we
honour this great man.
“We need to remember the iconic
people that come from the borough,
including footballing heroes.”
Former West Ham stars Harry
Redknapp and Frank Lampard Snr
have backed the campaign, along
with former England manager Terry
Venables and West Ham United
captain Mark Noble.

BOLD News

SECOND PHASE OF ESTATE RENEWAL APPROVED
Phase two of the renovation of an
estate in Barking, which is to provide
470 homes and a school, has been
given the go-ahead.
Barking and Dagenham Council’s
cabinet approved plans in July
2016 for the second stage of the
Gascoigne estate, which is to be
renamed Weavers Quarter.
Working with development partner
East Thames Group, the council has
also pledged £106 million and agreed
to start rehousing the residents of
the blocks earmarked for demolition.
Councillor Dominic Twomey,
cabinet member for finance, growth
and investment, said the council’s
vision was to create an “attractive
and prosperous” new community,
with the new school at the heart of it.
The cabinet decision comes as

work is also progressing on the first
phase of the scheme: 382 homes
have been demolished and 21 new
properties for shared ownership and
subsidised rent are being developed.
Completion has been scheduled for
early 2018.
Plans for the estate renewal
project, which will include further
phases, involve building 1,575
homes, new primary and secondary
schools, an energy centre, a
community centre, play areas and
retail space. The project is expected
to be complete by 2024.
According to Trevor Burns,
executive director for development,
sales and asset management at East
Thames, the development has the
potential to “completely transform
Barking town centre”.

Work starts on Ford
Stamping Plant scheme
Demolition work has started on a
17-ha site, part of the London
Riverside Opportunity Area in
Dagenham, with plans to develop a
mixed-use scheme featuring more
than 2,500 homes.
Dagenham Dock – a joint venture
between land promoter St Congar
and real estate fund manager Europa
Capital Partners – announced
the acquisition of the former Ford
Stamping Plant off Thames Avenue at
the end of May 2016. Work began in
the last week of September.
The disused site, operated by the
Ford Motor Company for 90 years until
2013, is within the area earmarked
by the Greater London Authority
as a key location for homes, jobs,
infrastructure and growth.
Developers plan to create a
mixed-use, residential-led scheme
comprising 2,650 homes. They said
the project should serve as a catalyst
for the area and that it will integrate
with the neighbouring Beam Park
development.
Steve Taylor, director at St Congar,
said the site was “one of the most
exciting growth opportunity areas
in London”.
Barking and Dagenham Council’s
leaders welcomed plans for the site.
Councillor Darren Rodwell, leader
of the council, added: “Dagenham
Dock’s plans for the site support our
ambition to generate growth that
will benefit local people and, at the
same time, accelerate the capital’s
development eastwards.
“It confirms our position as
London’s growth opportunity.”

9

The Estates & Agency
Group is delighted
to support Barking
and Dagenhamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
vision for the arts as
part of the Boroughâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
continuing regeneration

The Estates & Agency Group has a strong track record of successful involvement in
Barking and is committed to the continuing exciting regeneration of the Borough
Sites Previously Developed by E&A

Current Property Holdings

A

Roding House
Cambridge Road

E

Maritime House
1 Linton Road

1

Abbey Retail Park
Abbey Road, Barking

B

Central House
Cambridge Road

F

50-74 Station Parade
Barking

2

Clock House
East Street, Barking

C

Focal House
12/18 Station Parade

G

Radial House
Ripple Road

D

Trocoll House
Wakering Road

Capital Trading Estate
Alfredâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Way
(not on map)

BOLD Creative industries

Art from the heart

Lucy Purdy looks back at the newly extended Creative Barking and
Dagenham programme. What has been the secret of its success?
12

BOLD Creative industries

FROM THEATRE performances
in surprising places to the
commissioning of new films, the
output of Creative Barking and
Dagenham (CBD) so far has proved
varied and impressive.
Outgoing programme director
Miriam Nelken, who wrote the
business plan for the project back in
April 2013, describes her time at its
helm as “a total joy and privilege”.
From initially getting funding for
three years, it has transformed into
a six-year project and will continue
until at least 2019. Its mission is
to get local people developing and
experiencing outstanding arts and
creative activities, and to promote the
borough as a place where exciting
art is created and shown. It is funded
by Arts Council England’s Creative
People and Places, and the London
Borough of Barking and Dagenham.
At the heart of the programme
are the cultural connectors, an open
and growing network – currently
consisting of 135 local residents
who are the decision makers and
advocates for CBD. Any adults based
in the borough can join it. Cultural
connectors are currently aged
between 16 and 68, come from all
walks of life and backgrounds, and
live across the borough. They have
been given a programming budget of
Below: Geraldine
Pilgrim’s Well at
the former Sanofi
factory received
glowing reviews.

about £600,000 across the first three
years of CBD and, as Nelken asserts,
“they’ve really made some brilliant
things happen”.
“We launched the programme in
October 2013. It has been a total joy
and privilege to see the plan becoming
a reality and to watch the difference
the project is making to the area,” she
says. Projects have included theatre
performances in old factories and
market places, commissioning new
films and installing artworks on the
underground and outside Valence
House Museum.
“We’ve also supported the
professional development of the local
arts sector. This has led to an increase
in aspiration and ambition, more
residents getting involved with existing
local arts organisations and groups,
new resident-led arts groups forming
and new spaces emerging for culture
in the borough.”
CBD has been run on a core team
Cultural connector,
Susanna Wallis: “Being a cultural

connector is a chance to have
your voice heard locally and to
have influence on cultural and
creative events in our area.
What’s not to love about that?”

of just three people – two part time
– and is overseen by a consortium of
local organisations who support and
govern it as part of a steering group.
This is led by Studio 3 Arts, the grant
holder for CBD, which led the original
bid for Arts Council funding. It also
involves the council, a community and
voluntary umbrella organisation –
Barking and Dagenham CVS, Barking
Enterprise Centre, the Broadway
Theatre, London-wide creative
organisation for children and young
people – A New Direction, and four
cultural connectors.
In the past three years, residents
have commissioned and programmed
more than 500 artists and arts
organisations to make and present
work in the borough and curated
four new festivals. Around 30,000
people have seen and taken part in
these projects and events. CBD also
organises trips to arts events and
venues across the UK to spark seeds
of inspiration as to what Barking and
Dagenham residents could make
happen back in the borough.
So what challenges was CBD
set up in response to? Barking and
Dagenham was eligible for funding
from the Arts Council because levels
of arts engagement in the borough are
low compared to the rest of England
– Barking and Dagenham was in the
bottom 20% in 2013.
Says Nelken: “A really key challenge
was this sense that the arts were
irrelevant to most people, that they
were mainly for kids or ‘posh people’.
There was also quite a bit of cynicism
and mistrust over how decisions in the
arts were made. The local arts sector
was quite fragmented and it was hard
for local residents to get an overview
of what was on offer.”
But this wasn’t the whole picture,
as she soon discovered. “We
uncovered that although people
weren’t getting involved in large
numbers in subsidised arts, there
were lots of people doing their own
brilliant creative and entrepreneurial
things. People were making their own
clothes, knitting, putting on popular

13

BOLD Creative industries

community events, making jewellery
and other crafts and getting involved
in amateur dramatics. There are loads
of amazing dancers in the borough as
well as great photographers, filmmakers, wig-makers, candle-makers
and soap-makers, but these people
doing their enterprising creative
things often didn’t know each other
– and didn’t know about other outlets
for their creativity in the area.”
So CBD focused on building a new
creative community and improving
connections between people and the
places they were in. Three years in,
and perceptions are starting to shift.
“Our evaluation has told us that
as a result of CBD local residents
have better networks and support
structures, feel more connected to
their area, enjoy living there more and
feel greater pride in saying that they
are from Barking and Dagenham,”
says Nelken.
“On the artistic side we’ve had rave

Cultural connector, Robin Dixon:

“It’s a spark, a catalyst. We’ve got
well over 100 cultural connectors
now and if we can grow that,
we can use them as a political
resource towards getting the
arts supported.”
reviews for work that local people
have commissioned in The Times,
Guardian, Observer, New Statesman
and others. Barking and Dagenham
is now making a name for itself as a
place where interesting creative things
are happening. We’ve also attracted
nearly £500,000 additional funding
into the area and enabled 15 local
people to access paid creative work
in the borough.”
When asked to pick a highlight of
her time with the project, Nelken
struggles. “There are too many.
We’ve worked with incredible artists
including Geraldine Pilgrim who

transformed the former Sanofi factory
in Dagenham East into an incredible
theatrical experience called Well. It
involved a massive community cast
including lots of ex-factory workers
who found it a very moving experience.
It was incredible to get permission to
work in such an amazing space that
had played such an important role in
Dagenham’s history.
“We also loved working with
Punchdrunk theatre company, which
brought a fabulous Halloween fair
to Eastbury Manor House and is
now working with lots of schools
in the borough. And artists Close
and Remote made a really thoughtprovoking and beautiful film about
the last 50 years of working lives
in the borough and the impact of
globalisation on the area.”
Nelken also notes the artist
Verity-Jane Keefe’s “brilliant” Mobile
Museum (a four-year, multi-strand
project) and the artist Harald Smykla’s
Below: Young
people in
the borough
demonstrate their
artistic flair at
DagFest 2016.

14

BOLD Creative industries

Above: Parsloes
Park hosted The
Colour of Time by
Artonik at 2015’s
One Borough
Community Day.

Above: The
Merchant of
Venice, performed
on Barking’s
streets during the
summer festivals
programme.

stall on Barking Market on which he
created art from fruit and veg. “It was
a real joy and hugely popular.”
“Having our photographs of
Dagenham people and places installed
in large scale in three underground
stations for the next five years, and
possibly beyond, in a partnership
Cultural connector,
Miro Tomarkin: “I never used to

tell people where I lived when I
was talking about my art, now
I’ve actually started to say I’m an
artist from Dagenham.”

with TfL [Transport for London]
was fantastic. Creating a beautiful
permanent artwork – the This Used to
be Fields mural by Chad McCail – is
something we’re all really proud of
and Studio 3 Arts’ The Merchant of
Venice, which was commissioned by
our ‘Landmarks’ strand of work, took
place across Barking and was given
a four-star review in The Times. And
our ‘Festivals’ strand has also been a
personal highlight.”
But aside from any particular event,
she insists that what is truly special
about the borough is the residents.
“There’s such a sense of people

Cultural connector,
Hajara Nassimba: “I am very

proud to be a cultural connector.
To me, CBD is something that
keeps me going, knowing that I
live in a place where things are
happening. The connection it’s
giving the community is massive.”

making things happen for themselves.
I’ve never met so many inspiring
entrepreneurs. There’s a real DIY
ethic here and a huge willingness to
embrace new ideas and take risks.
People are ambitious and they care
about making life better for people
in their area. I’ve never had a job
before where I felt so much a part of a
community and where I was made to
feel so welcome. This project has been
powered by the energy of hundreds of
amazing local residents and couldn’t
have succeeded without them.
“It’s also been really helped by great
leadership in the local authority – the
leader has done an amazing job of
raising the profile of Barking and
Dagenham and understanding the
central role of culture in placemaking
and there are fantastic culture,
regeneration, heritage and libraries
staff at the council who are really
visionary in the way they approach
their roles. Barking and Dagenham is
a really special place.”

15

BARKING AND DAGENHAM

LONDONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CREATIVE BOROUGH

Photos: Performers at the Broadway Theatre, the proposed East Brook Studios, Cllr Darren Rodwell enjoying a festival - photo Jimmy Lee, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan visiting
The White House in Dagenham, a production of The Merchant of Venice by Studio 3 Arts - photo Mark Sepple.

MOVE TO

BARKING NOT BERLIN

15 minutes

FILMS
NOT FORDS

Barking and Dagenham is London’s Growth
opportunity for the creative industries.
With the Barking Artist Enterprise Zone and proposals for a Film industry
cluster at Dagenham East, the Borough can play a key role in retaining the
Capital’s creativity. We already have a strong network of partners:

Below: Dance
performances took
place on the streets
of Barking this year.

Putting on a show
Art and culture are central to Barking and Dagenhamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
growth plans â&#x20AC;&#x201C; creating jobs and a vibrant community.
Lucy Purdy charts the latest twists and turns
21

BOLD Arts and culture

CONCENTRATED AROUND Barking
town centre and the Ice House Quarter
on the River Roding, artists, designers
and makers are being attracted in
droves. While expanding creative
quarters and excellent facilities make
them come, great support networks
persuade them to stay: Barking is now
a hotspot for London’s burgeoning
creative sector.
Working with a host of impressive
partners and backed to the tune of
£250,000 by the mayor of London,
Barking and Dagenham Council’s
proposal for the capital’s first Artist
Enterprise Zone will help keep artists
in London, providing new outlets
and opportunities for their talents.
This is necessary, because the city’s
artists are on the move. Rocketing

rents are pricing young creatives out,
particularly in east London.
In April, the IceHouse Court studios
opened for business in Abbey Road,
providing 409sq m of much-needed
affordable workspace for around
20 individual creative practices. Arts
and creative services organisation
Bow Arts won a tender to create
the workspaces there, teaming up
with architect Delvendahl Martin.
They came up with a clever internal
studio layout and partition designs to
make an immersive and productive
workplace. The building is now filling
with artists.
As David Harley, acting head of
regeneration at the council, points out,
the enterprise zone is just the latest
achievement for the borough.

Our ambitious
plans for
Barking Artist
Enterprise
Zone seek to
harness strong
partnerships
and networks
“Our ambitious plans for Barking
Artist Enterprise Zone seek to harness
the strong partnerships and networks
we have already established with
organisations such as Create London,
Bow Arts, Studio 3 Arts, Creative
Barking and Dagenham, Barking and
Dagenham College and the Barbican
and Guildhall,” he says.
“The Artist Enterprise Zone has a
dual focus — recognising London’s
artist exodus and the need to deliver
affordable living and workspace for
artists to retain them in the capital
but also supporting homegrown talent
to flourish through programmes like
Creative Barking and Dagenham [a six
year Arts Council-funded project]. The
real success will be the two elements
coming together.”
The IceHouse Court studio complex
is just the latest hub in Barking,
where inspiring arts venues and
commissions are beginning to
become commonplace. There
are dance studios at the new
Abbey Leisure Centre, the Galleon
community centre, a gallery,
performance space and music studio,
occupied by Studio 3 Arts and, coming
soon, a new three-screen cinema.
Choosing partners who have strong
track records of getting good things
done has helped the area’s cultural

22

BOLD Arts and culture

Above and below: The
Broadway Theatre
hosts a huge variety
of drama, dance and
music events.
Opposite: The
IceHouse Court
provides space for
creative practices.

23

BOLD Arts and culture

offering grow and prosper. Creating
space for artists and others working
on cultural projects has been a
priority in the borough.
Says Harley: “The council has
identified a pipeline of more than a
dozen sites in the borough providing
potential for new artist workspace.
We recognise that it’s not just
workspace that artists are having
trouble affording, it’s also living space.
Therefore our key project with Create
London [an organisation that helps
artists to connect with communities
through various projects] aims to
deliver work and living space at
affordable rents. The scheme, with
London Regeneration Fund support,
aims to be a model for creating such
units in new builds.”
And through a number of recent
planning approvals, the council has
secured new ground floor workspaces
for artists. “The leader’s message to
artists is clear,” adds Harley. “‘Don’t
move to Berlin, move to Barking’.”
Making a place feel vibrant is about
more than just streets and bricks
and mortar, and so placemaking
agency Future City has been enlisted
to help develop a strategy for Barking
Riverside. A brand new neighbourhood
is being created along 2km of Thames
river frontage here, and arts and

culture is likely to be at the heart
of the new community. Already no
stranger to the benefits of a beautiful
riverside location is The Boathouse
creative studios, a venue now moving
into its second phase.
“Since our launch in autumn 2014,
we’ve been testing the market as the
area has been developing quickly with
new homes springing up all along
Abbey Road,” says The Boathouse
creative director Carole Pluckrose.
“The first phase of our plan was
to raise public awareness of the

The leader’s
message to
artists is clear:
Don’t move to
Berlin, move
to Barking

Thanks to facilities
like The Broadway
Theatre, young and
creative people are
flocking to Barking
and Dagenham.

24

venue and cafe by offering pop-up
opportunities, performances, jazz and
comedy as well as attracting classes
and hiring out our studios. Now, as we
move into phase two, we are delighted
that the cafe is being refurbished.
This will create a wonderful new
environment for us.”
Derrick Daniel took over operations
of the cafe in August 2016. It is
scheduled to open soon and will
adopt a new seafood theme. Poised to
swell with an artistic crowd, original
cocktails will be served up, as well as
locally produced food and drink. The
space will transition from a cafe to a
bar in the evenings.
“The cafe will work synergistically
with The Boathouse studios,” says
Pluckrose. “We will continue to offer
a wide variety of experiences, events
and workshops including a regular
jazz club coming very soon, along
with open mic and comedy nights.
Local photographer Jimmy Lee will be
mounting his first street photography
exhibition in the autumn. His is a
great story: made redundant from the
building trade in his 40s due to a back
injury, he picked up his camera and
has discovered an enormous talent.”
Pluckrose says her personal
ambition is that The Boathouse
continues to encourage local people to

BOLD Arts and culture

Studio 3 Arts put on
a production of The
Merchant of Venice
in June 2016.

find joy in the arts. “It will increasingly
be known as a wonderful place to visit
and spend time, enjoy all sorts of arts
and to meet each other,” she says
with real warmth.
And after initially getting funding
for three years, Creative Barking and
Dagenham has transformed into a sixyear project – poised to carry on until
at least 2019.
Now one of the borough’s cultural
institutions, this is all about
getting local people developing and
experiencing outstanding arts and
creative activities. It also aims to
promote the borough as a place where
exciting art is created and shown.
Creative Barking and Dagenham is
funded by Arts Council England’s
Creative People and Places fund and
by the London Borough of Barking
and Dagenham: it recently received
£735,000 from Arts Council England
for the next three years.
At its core are ‘cultural connectors’,
an expanding network of adults living
locally, who make decisions about
which projects Creative Barking and
Dagenham will undertake.
Outgoing programme director
Miriam Nelken says: “It has been the
brilliant local residents in our cultural
connectors network who have inspired
me and kept me going.
“They’ve given their time so
generously, made me laugh lots,

have come up with amazing ideas
and have had the energy, passion and
commitment to work with us to turn
the ideas into reality.”
Even at this stage, Nelken and her
team have a keen eye on the project’s
lasting influence.
“Looking forward, we will have a
huge focus on legacy,” she says. “We
want to build new relationships with
a wider range of funders so that even
after funding from the Arts Council is
gone, the work can still continue.
“One of the ways we’ll do this is by
supporting the cultural connectors
to register as an official group –
perhaps as a CIC [Community Interest
Company] – so they can fundraise for
their ideas and continue to develop
their influence in the borough.
“We’ll also be rolling out a new
professional development strand
for the local arts sector: a new
programme which develops our
neighbourhood commissions working
in areas of the borough that have low
arts provision.”
Over at the Broadway Theatre, the
council spotted an opportunity to
support the creative industries while
developing a skilled workforce, as
well as improving opportunities for
employment in the borough.
In December 2014, the council
agreed new management
arrangements for the theatre, giving

a lease to Barking and Dagenham
College until 2023. Since then,
the small but dedicated team has
been curating a diverse community
programme, helped along the way
by a partnership with the Barbican
Centre and Guildhall School of Music
and Drama.
It also runs the likes of At Home At
The Broadway which gives up-andcoming producers the chance to use
space and test their work, in exchange
for putting on workshops or offering
their skills in other ways.
The theatre was already home to
the college’s performing arts faculty
and so students get the chance to
develop their craft within a working
professional theatre.
Mark Civil, executive venue
manager, says: “Students these days
are really a very different beast. They
know they need to network and make
contacts if they want to succeed
and also that they will be up against
students from less economically
deprived areas. They want real
experiences to put on their CVs.
“Working on shows here gives them
something really interesting to put
on their university application forms.
The technical aspects of theatre
can be very dry if not being applied
in a real-life context. The theatre
gives students the chance to really
test their mettle: it’s what I call an
industrial playground, where they
can really learn and hone their craft.
Our students have quite often found
when they go to university that the
experiences they’ve had here put them
on a par with second year students.”
Affordable and within 15 minutes of
London, Barking also has one of the
youngest populations of all the city’s
boroughs and so getting things for
creatively minded young people today
is important. Barking and Dagenham’s
arts scene is going from strength to
strength, bringing people together in
surprising ways, and making the most
of their inherent creativity.
The borough is putting on a show
alright: it seems like the beginning of
a long and successful run.

In the summer months, a series of
festivals are drawing the crowds in the
London Borough of Barking and Dagenham.
James Wood finds the popularity of these
events shows no signs of abating in 2016
DAGENHAM LOCALS have fond
memories of the annual town show,
which last took place when the
Olympic torch passed through the
town before the London 2012 Games.
Over the following two years, with the
council facing increasing budgetary
pressures, many of these residents
had to travel outside of the borough in

26

search of summer cultural pursuits.
But in 2015, under the stewardship
of council leader Darren Rodwell, a
series of music, arts and community
festivals proved so popular during
the borough’s 50th anniversary
celebrations, that several have now
become annual events.
Paul Hogan, the council’s

BOLD Festivals

commissioning director of culture and
recreation, is in charge of organising
the programme and says: “They have
really engaged the local community
and we have seen an unprecedented
number of people who have turned out
at the events. The festivals are family
friendly, fun and accessible to all parts
of a really diverse community.”
From local folk hero Billy Bragg
strumming a guitar beneath Barking
skies to colourful explosions of
powder in Parsloes Park, barely a
weekend has gone by in the summer
months of 2015 and 2016 when some
sort of festival hasn’t taken place.
With the borough council planning
to continue the festival programme
until at least 2020, BOLD picks out
some of the highlights.
Barking folk festival
A hero to fans of politicised folk music,
Billy Bragg is proud of where he was
born and grew up.
“I always end my set with, ‘My name
is Billy Bragg, I’m from Barking,
Essex,’ he told Guitar and Bass
magazine in 2015. “Even though I
don’t live there anymore, I’m quite
proud of being the Bard of Barking.”
And it was that line with which he
introduced A13, Trunk Road to the
Sea at the free-to-attend Barking
Folk Festival in 2015. The song Bragg
closed his set with at the Abbey Ruins
references the history of the Ford
automotive factory in Dagenham

immortalised in the film and stage
show Made in Dagenham – and also
the A13 road which links central
London with Barking and Dagenham
and south Essex. Bragg, with tongue
firmly in cheek, uses the music of
Bobby Troup American road-trip
classic, Route 66, on the track.
But in a borough with the sort of
diversity which – according to the
local authority – sees around 130
languages spoken in its schools, the
idea of the folk festival is to create a
broad appeal. “We want it to have a
really diverse line-up, featuring folk
music from all over the world and
not just England,” explains Hogan. In
2016, eastern European and Indian
musicians were on the bill.
The headliners at this year’s
event were Badly Drawn Boy, who
won the Mercury Music Prize in the
year 2000 for his album, The Hour
of Bewilderbeast and the critically
acclaimed, fiddle-playing folk singer,
Seth Lakeman.
Also on the 2016 bill was BBC Radio
2 Folk Award 2014 nominee, Lucy
Ward, who proved a popular addition,
as well as Elliot Morris, recently
tipped as ‘the next big thing’ by BBC
Radio 6 Music, among others.

Traditional dance from different
countries and theatre performances
and workshops programmed by the
Barbican gallery also added to an
eclectic line-up.
Following public feedback from the
first event that fewer venues would be
preferable, the number of locations
was reduced from five to three in 2016.
Barking Town Square, Abbey Green
and the Abbey Ruins were used for
events where patrons could also enjoy
folk tales and storytelling, as well as
a range of craft and food stalls and a
licensed bar.
Roundhouse music festival
The London Borough of Barking and
Dagenham was once home to one
of the UK’s premier music venues.
In the early 1970s, the Dagenham
Roundhouse hosted the likes of
Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, The Velvet
Underground and Fleetwood Mac.
Such is the inspiration for the
Roundhouse Music Festival, which has
taken place in Dagenham’s Central
Park during the August bank holiday
weekend for the last two years.
Those in attendance have enjoyed
performances by tribute bands at the
event, which evoked the spirit and

BOLD Festivals

music of The Who, Status Quo, Pink
Floyd and Queen in 2015 and Genesis,
Elton John and T.Rex in 2016. Novelty
cockney pop act Chas & Dave also
performed this year and a battle of the
bands competition, showcasing local
talent, was won by The Lucettas in
2015 and Into Horizon in 2016.

The festivals are family friendly, fun
and accessible to all parts of a really
diverse community

One Borough Community Day
Barking and Dagenham Council hosts
the popular One Borough Community
Day. The festival in Parsloes Park at
the end of July brings out thousands
of people in the borough – a diverse
range of ages, backgrounds,
nationalities and ethnicities.
In 2015, crowds were drawn to
performances from Kenny Ball
Junior and his Jazzmen and the
MOBO award-winning Living Faith
Choir. The weekend also featured a
performance of Artonik’s The Colour
of Time, a music and dance show
with explosions of colourful powder,
reinventing India’s Holi festival, known
as the ‘festival of colours’.
Those nostalgic for the annual
Dagenham Town Show, which ran
until 2012, have reportedly been
thrilled that a strong community event
has returned to the place.

29

BOLD Festivals

Away from the football, crowds were
entertained by an Ed Sheeran tribute
act, camel racing, Vivica Jade from
the BBC singing show The Voice and
the Colourscape exhibition, featuring
music and dance inside a labyrinth of
colour and light.

Crowds of up to 15,000 for the two
years that the festival has run confirm
its popularity.
The 2016 event adopted a football
theme, marking 50 years since
England won the World Cup. A large
part of that success was down to West
Ham United players – the club located
nearest the borough. These included
Martin Peters, who is from Chadwell
Heath, Sir Geoff Hurst and Barkingborn Bobby Moore. Even the manager
of the ‘66 team, Sir Alf Ramsey, is
connected with the borough, having
been born in Dagenham.
Many people in the area support
West Ham, including council leader
Darren Rodwell – something he
makes no secret of.
During the festival, ex-players at
the club, Tony Cottee and Tony Gale
were live in the ‘tactics tent’, the 1966
final – which finished England 4 West
Germany 2 – was screened in full
and the musical entertainment also
had a ‘66 connection. Chris Farlowe,
who headlined the main stage, was
number one in the charts that year
with Out of Time, which was written by
The Rolling Stones.
Football tournaments saw Randall
Contracting win the ‘Corporate
World Cup’ and Dagenham’s Valence
Primary School the ‘Schools World
Cup’. The triumphant students were
treated to a bus tour of the arena
before collecting their medals.

30

Steam and cider fair
It is an event more likely to be found
in a rural shire to the west of England
rather than Old Dagenham Park in
London, but the steam and cider fair
(below right) is a big summer draw.
Now known as a bustling east
London hub, it may seem strange that
the borough was once seen as a more

Crowds were
entertained by
an Ed Sheeran
tribute act,
camel racing
and Vivica Jade
from The Voice

Council leader
Darren Rodwell
and Studio 3 Arts’
Liza Vallance get
involved in the
folk festival.

rural place to live and the aim of this
festival is to celebrate this past.
Attracting up to 18,000 people, the
steam and cider fair showcases steam
engines, machinery and classic cars,
such as vintage Fords, which most
likely would have been produced at
the famous automotive factory based
in Dagenham.
This year, the Thrills and Spills
arena featured family entertainment
such as sheep racing – dubbed ‘The
Lamb National’ – and the ‘Country
Superstars’ Experience’, where the
audience watched tributes to Dolly
Parton, Kenny Rogers and Garth
Brooks, over a cold glass of cider.

Tradition and Vision in Construction
and Property Development

A Barking and Dagenham based business having a culture of
tradition and loyalty with a proven track record of quality
construction and investment within the borough.
www.rooff.co.uk www.icehousequarter.co.uk
The Granary, 80 Abbey Road, Barking, London, IG11
E: enquiries@rooff.co.uk T: 020 8709 1777

BOLD Markets

FACTS AND FIGURES

150

year 5 students
took part in Little
Radio, performing
songs they had
written about living
in Barking.

24 films, TV shows,
commercials and music
videos shot in Barking
and Dagenham in the
last 18 months.

800

creative events, workshops
and activities organised as
part of Creative Barking
and Dagenham.

£250,000 provided
by the mayor of
London for Barking
and Dagenham’s
Artist Enterprise
Zone

£735,000
from Arts Council England to
support Creative Barking and
Dagenham (2013-2019).

32

BOLD Markets

26,000 people involved
in Creative Barking and
Dagenhamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cultural
activities since 2013.
Four-star review
in The Times for
The Merchant of
Venice, performed
by Studio 3 Arts in
Barking in July 2016.

409sq m

Up to 15,000
people attended
One Borough
Community Day
at Parsloes Park
in summer 2015
and 2016.

100,000 people
attended the
boroughâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

50th

anniversary
celebrations in
summer 2015.

of affordable workspace
for more than 20
creative practices
provided at
IceHouse Court studios,
opened in April 2016 on
Abbey Road

Up to 18,000 attendees for
the steam and cider fair at
Old Dagenham Park.

The creative community is working hard to
engage residents with culture, and thanks to the
likes of Studio 3 Arts, is finding unique ways to
inspire people. James Wood reports

Above: The final
scene of The
Merchant of Venice
was performed in the
council chamber.

35

BOLD Theatre

IT HAS BEEN nearly 30 years since
performing arts graduates of Barking
College established Studio 3 Arts as a
response to what they saw as a lack of
cultural opportunities in the borough.
Progress has sped up in recent
times, with the Broadway Theatre
becoming a popular haunt in Barking
town centre and a spate of summer
festivals attracting large numbers of
people during the last two summers
(see pages 26 - 30).
A seven-year long ambition
of Studio 3 Arts was to put on a
Shakespeare play was realised
in 2016, coinciding with the 400th
anniversary of the playwright’s death.
The challenges of engaging people
with the bard’s plays are a common
sticking point for teachers, directors
and script adapters. Selecting a play
that would appeal to Barking and
Dagenham’s diverse demographic,
where it is claimed that more than

36

130 languages are spoken in its
schools, required careful planning.
The Merchant of Venice was the
play chosen. Artistic director Liza
Vallance felt that its themes of wealth,
inequality, immigration and religious
persecution could show the residents
of Barking and Dagenham how
Shakespeare’s work might relate to
their own lives as much as those of
people in the 16th century.
The first job for writer and script
adapter Ashley Joseph, who has
worked for Studio 3 Arts for about
10 years, was to significantly cut down
the original play in length to make it
more digestible.
“The language is far removed from
today, so the challenges of being
both faithful to the original script and
making it accessible for people were
tricky,” he says.
“A lot of people don’t think
Shakespeare is important to them, so

Barking and
Dagenham is
on the brink
of becoming a
cultural hub.
It has changed
immensely

BOLD Theatre

ACTing UP
Studio 3 Arts’ Ashley Joseph
teamed up with comedy partner
Tee Jay to offer Barking’s young
people the opportunity to try
their hand at comedy improvised
performance in August 2016.
Running for the second year at
the Rich Mix cinema in Bethnal
Green, London, the project is part
of the organisation’s award-winning
Big Deal programme.
Theatre, dance, music
production, film-making and set
design are among the activities
Studio 3 Arts is encouraging young
people to get involved in through
the programme.

Pictured:
Shakespeare brought
to Barking – The
Merchant of Venice
was performed at
various locations.

37

BOLD Theatre

The fact that
critics regarded
my work well
really means a
lot. You feel like
your hard work
has paid off
Little Radio
Studio 3 Arts was involved in a
project that saw pupils of the
Gascoigne Primary School in
Barking and residents of the
nearby Gascoigne estate take part
in a musical performance at the
Broadway Theatre in June.
The scheme commissioned by
the Barbican Centre saw its two
resident musicians, saxophonist
Iain Bellamy and accordionist Stian
Carstensen, join members of the
Barking community to perform
original songs inspired by their
memories of the local area.
Around 150 year 5 students took
part, performing songs they had
written which reflected on their
experiences of living in Barking.
Bellamy and Carstensen mostly
worked in rural areas, but part of
the agreement of the project was
that they should work in one urban
area – Barking.
The Little Radio was produced
by Sound UK in partnership with
Barbican Centre, Guildhall School
of Music and Drama and Barking
& Dagenham Music Service. It was
supported by Arts Council England
and PRS for Music Foundation.

38

Pictured: The Times
newspaper gave
a four-star review
of The Merchant of
Venice in July.

putting this play on required a bit of a
leap of faith.
“Approaching something like
adapting Shakespeare was really
scary as I had never done it before.
I wanted to be faithful to the language
in the play, but at the same time,
with my passion for rhythm, I had a
great time playing with the iambic
pentameter that was originally used.”

In what has been dubbed by
colleagues at Studio 3 Arts as
‘Ashpean’ language, Joseph’s adapted
script made references to modern
day living such as social media,
selfies and reality TV: “I considered
the characters in The Merchant of
Venice and how I could relate them to
modern day settings and scenarios,”
he says.

BOLD Theatre

His work has received widespread
praise, including a four-star review in
The Times, next to one about a Royal
Ballet performance. “That was really
overwhelming to see,” says Joseph.
“The fact that critics regarded my
work well really means a lot. You feel
as though all of your hard work has
paid off.”
But it wasn’t just a welladapted script that led to sold-out
performances night after night when
the play ran in July.
The proposal submitted to local
arts engagement group, Creative
Barking and Dagenham, which
pledged £40,000 towards the project,
explained how the play would be a
promenade performance moving
between different landmarks across
Barking town centre, including shops,
restaurants, the Broadway Theatre
and the council chamber for the final
dramatic courtroom scene.
Hundreds of local people poured
onto the streets of Barking to witness
the dramatic spectacle and many
were actively involved in the
performance themselves.
With nine professional actors
chosen for the main parts in the play,
the rest of the cast and crew were
made up of people from surrounding
borough locations such as the
Gascoigne estate.
In persuading people to get involved,
Studio 3 Arts spoke not only to
organisations normally on its radar,
such as local theatre and arts groups
and Barking and Dagenham College,
but it also went into GP surgeries,
cafes, libraries, parent groups, lunch
clubs, older people’s social clubs
and other community spaces to forge
relationships with local people.
“People aged between seven and
87 got involved and the reaction was
amazing,” says Joseph. “Everyone
really did love it. In recruiting, Liza and
I spoke to a lot of people who didn’t
really know about the opportunities in
the area and hopefully this play has
helped them feel a bit more proud
about where they live.”
One local woman used the play

Open Estate
The Gascoigne estate has been
renamed Weavers Quarter. It is
currently subject to a regeneration
project that will see 1,575 homes,
a community centre and a public
square being delivered by East
Thames Group and Barking and
Dagenham Council.
Studio 3 Arts received Heritage
Lottery Funding for its Open Estate
programme in 2016, which looks
back at the estate’s history. The
group presented the stories of the
people who know the estate best,
engaging with local community
to surprise those who attended
her wedding. Taking 86 guests to
the performance right after getting
married, friends and family were
shocked when the bride turned up
in the final scene at the council
chamber, playing the duke.
It is this community engagement
that Joseph believes is helping change
the view that Barking and Dagenham
is a place where people are not
interested in the arts.

groups; people who either live or
have lived on the estate.
The aim during Open House
weekend in September 2016 was to
showcase memorable stories at a
‘living museum’, which told former
and current residents’ stories, as
well as those of people who have
worked or socialised there.
The project included the creation
of residents’ commemorative
ceramic pieces, as well as sound
installations and an exhibition
entitled ‘Understanding the
Gascoigne in 50 objects’.
“It was definitely worth the
challenge,” he says. “I really believe
that Barking and Dagenham is on the
brink of becoming a cultural hub. It
has changed immensely in the years
since I’ve been working here and with
projects such as The Merchant of
Venice, people are becoming more and
more interested in the theatre.
“Knowing you have created
something really amazing for the
community is such a great thing.”

39

BOLD Film

Moving east
In 2015, BOLD looked at the emerging film industry
in Barking and Dagenham. Marco Cillario revisits the
borough to find out why directors are continuing to
choose this part of east London

IT HAS BEEN four years since Barking
and Dagenham Council’s film office
was set up, and Lisa Dee, who leads
the project, is increasingly busy.
“When we launched in 2012, we
wanted to encourage the film industry
– which was very much west Londonbased at the time – to move east,” she
recalls. “In Barking and Dagenham,
we have everything from industrial
sites to heritage buildings and open
green spaces.
“We started by doing something
which was very innovative: promoting
locations which were not councilowned. And that is a really big part of
our success.”
Barking Riverside, Londoneastuk business park and Barking
Magistrates Court are among
the places used for increasingly
prominent productions. The film office
has assisted movie-makers with every
part of the process, from sourcing
locations to ensuring health and
safety measures are in place – as well
as providing parking for crews and
accommodation for staff.
Initially Barking and Dagenham
was used for low budget projects,
but now its assets are used for the
likes of BBC One’s Undercover,
which attracted 5.2 million people
for the first episode alone when it
was aired in spring 2016, and New
Blood, broadcast in the summer to an
audience of more than four million.
Undercover, which tells the story of
a British lawyer fighting to prove the
innocence of a death row inmate, saw
Dagenham Civic Centre transformed
into a Louisiana court. New Blood,
about two investigators from migrant
families, based its production offices
at Londoneast-uk in 2015.
Dee says: “Producers used to
think the area was too far from
central London, but once they started
coming here, they realised it is only a
25-minute drive and a 15-minute train
ride. They all speak to each other, so
the word spread quickly.
“We have to attend all the shoots
and make sure that there are no
disruptions for residents. Sometimes

We wanted to
encourage the
film industry
– which was
very much west
London-based
at the time – to
move east

we have to cater for more than 200
people on the set during filming.”
For this challenging operation,
Dee depends on support from other
council departments and commitment
from the leadership: “The legal
department, for example, plays a
pivotal role in making the film office
work and ensuring contracts are in
place,” she says. “And the support
we receive from the council’s leader,

Darren Rodwell, and chief executive,
Chris Naylor, has been crucial in
making the film office what it is now.”
But why are film-makers choosing
Barking and Dagenham? For Toby
Dye, who used the borough to shoot
scenes for his most recent work – The
Corridor, starring Joanna Lumley and
Aidan Gillen – it came down to a very
specific requirement.
His project was part of Daydreaming

41

BOLD Film

Right: Toby Dyeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
Kubrick-inspired
short film was shot
at the Londoneast-uk
business park.

42

BOLD Film

Also shot in the
borough:
TV SHOWS:
Stan Lee’s Lucky Man
(Sky One, starring James Nesbitt)
Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror
(Channel 4, starring Jon Hamm)
Top Gear
(BBC Two, starring Matt LeBlanc
and Chris Evans)
Code of a Killer
(ITV, starring John Simm)
Humans [pictured left]
(Channel 4, starring Ruth Bradley)
Lawless
(Sky One, starring Suranne Jones)
with Stanley Kubrick, an exhibition
which took place at Somerset House
in summer 2016, featuring works that
were inspired by the iconic American
film director.
“We decided to put four cinema
screens on four walls in a room at the
venue,” explains Dye.
“Each screen would show the same
corridor shot by a camera moving
backwards in a never-ending image;
a continuous loop. Each would tell a
different story.”
The project referenced a frequent
theme in Kubrick’s work, as anyone
who has watched The Shining
will recall. But once the idea was
conceived, Dye encountered a
problem: “We needed an incredibly
long corridor – one which would take
at least four minutes to walk down. We
went all over the country looking for
the right place.”
That place turned out to be in
Dagenham: “When our research
turned up Londoneast-uk business
park, we got in touch with Barking
and Dagenham Council’s film office
and they came along and showed us
around. We saw a corridor in a former
pharmaceutical facility on the park
and realised it was perfect: it was
long, cinematic and very bright - it

reminded me of the ending of 2001:
A Space Odyssey.”
Dye knows the area well: “I am
from east London, so I already knew
Dagenham. What I particularly like
is its industrial landscape: it has
something which is very cinematic.”
The support the production received
from the council’s film office also
struck Dye: “It is probably the best
film office I have ever worked with.
It made the whole process much
easier. They were incredibly helpful,
professional and enthusiastic.”
A wealth of locations, a cinematic
landscape and passionate council
support: all reasons why Barking and
Dagenham stands out. Four years
after it was launched, the film office
is happily continuing its objective to
move the industry east.
And Dee believes it is making
life better for residents too: “Film
production in the area is huge now,
and big productions such as New
Blood attract people who come to
see where it was shot, and use local
services, restaurants and cafes.”
But there is also a more intangible
benefit to the burgeoning presence
of production companies. For Dee
it is simple: people are becoming
increasingly proud of where they live.

Above: Ciara
McGarrity benefits
from working in
spacious and bright
surroundings at
IceHouse Court.

Bow ties
Maria Shahid looks at how the council is
working with Bow Arts Trust to create a new
destination for the arts in the borough
A CREATIVE WORKSPACE is emerging
within a stone’s throw of the Ice House
Quarter, an artistic hub on the banks
of the River Roding.
Bow Arts Trust, a registered charity
that aims to support community
renewal in east London by delivering

44

arts and creative services, has set up
a venture to provide much-needed and
affordable artists’ workspace on the
ground floor of IceHouse Court, which
is supported by the London mayor’s
High Street Fund.
The scheme was one of the venues

BOLD IceHouse Court

featured on a Barking town centre
tour during Open House London in
September 2016; an annual weekend
when hundreds of spaces in the
capital are opened to the public.
The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan,
visited the facility in October and
enjoyed a pop-up exhibition displaying
the work of the eight artists who have
taken space at the facility. Eventually,
there is potential for 20 to 25 artists
to move into the studio space at
IceHouse Court.
Michael Cubey, head of creative
workspace at Bow Arts, wants to
ensure that he finds the right artists
– all applicants have to go through a
rigorous selection process.
“Bow Arts has made a commitment
to the borough and we want all
our artists to have that same
commitment,” he explains.
“It is part of our selection criteria
to ask each artist to submit an
application, together with a business
development plan.
“We ask them how they would
expand into and use the available
space. Based on the strength of their
application, we then create a shortlist
of artists to interview.”

Cubey adds that some artists were
sceptical about the location, and part
of the conversation the trust had to
have with them involved debunking
perceptions of the area’s poor
connectivity to the rest of the capital.

Being part of
a community
of creative
professionals is
refreshing and
encouraging

Artists in
residence
Waffle Design
Ciara McGarrity is the designer and
owner of Waffle Design, a company
which specialises in creating
handcrafted soft furnishings such
as rugs, cushions and throws, as
well as offering a bespoke curtain
and blind-making service using
premium fabrics.
McGarrity was one of the first
artists to move into IceHouse
Court. She says: “The opportunity
to go into a brand new building with
an already-existing creative hub
was the initial attraction.
“Being part of a community of
creative industry professionals is
refreshing and encouraging. The
relationships are so important in
the growth of any small business.
“Being further east means the
rent is great value, and a larger
working space is a viable option.
“The team at Bow Arts has been
really supportive in our transition to
IceHouse Court.”

45

BOLD IceHouse Court

Artists in
residence
Haidée Drew Designs

Above: Designer
Haidée Drew’s
studio space acts as
a shop front while
also giving her the
privacy she needs.

“Artists were drawn to the space
because of who we are and through
our network. Once they were here and
saw the architecture of the space, and
realised that the journey to Barking is
very doable, they could see that this is
a good place to be.”
Designed by Delvendahl Martin
Architects, the 500sq m space on the
ground floor of the building features
floor to ceiling windows.
Cubey explains that working with
the “rigid design” of glazing on all
sides proved challenging.
A system of shelving made of rough
timber was created for storing artists’

46

materials, as well as displaying their
work: “It creates a bit more privacy, so
our artists don’t feel like they’re in a
fish bowl – it works on a lot of levels.”
The reaction has been very positive,
adds Cubey, with passersby stopping
to linger, as well as popping in to take
a closer look.
Haidée Drew is one of the artists
in residence at IceHouse Court and
explains what brought her here: “In
this hub of buildings you feel like you
are in a very creative community.
“It really feels like the whole area
around the studio is at the beginning
of something really exciting.”

Drew is a designer with a
background in contemporary craft,
who creates objects with a graphic
style. Her clients include The
Conran Shop, Liberty and Heals.
Prior to moving into IceHouse
Court, Drew was already familiar
with Bow Arts, having used their
live/work scheme in various places,
including Balfron Tower in Poplar.
She says: “After leaving Balfron
Tower I looked at a number of other
studio providers as well as their
prices. It was all very expensive.
Bow Arts is still one of the best
in terms of organisation and the
opportunities they send your way.
“When they suggested IceHouse
to me, I was initially not sure about
it. It seemed too far away.
“A big draw was that it’s a bit of a
shop front. I had a moment which
really made the move worthwhile.
I was sitting at my workbench
engrossed in something we’re
making for Conran, and this little
girl started looking in, absorbing
everything. She went away and then
came back with her identical twin.
“It really reminded me of when I
was that age, looking into a studio
and finding it all really inspiring.
“I really love that interaction.
You do feel quite private in there
because of the design, and yet
people can look in.”

London UK ad 256x200_Layout 1 19/02/2016 10:15 Page 1

BOLD partners joining together
to support Barking and Dagenham
01

02

London & UK Property
and Prosperity Capital Partne
are proud to sponsor the
London Borough of Barking
and Dagenham at MIPIM 20

London and UK Property Limited is a lean, ďŹ&#x201A;exible and
property development company that delivers outstandi
investors, owners and joint venture partners by creating
developments that excite the senses.

03

Prosperity Capital Partners is a private equity real esta
focusing on investment and development opportunitie
and across the UK and Ireland employing private inve

Together we are working to deliver high quality inn
developments that match the vision and aspiratio
London Borough of Barking and Dagenham